a/n-this is just a little songfic i've been working on for what feels like years. I just want to apologize in advance for the varying lengths of the different sections. And go read my story Hope it was supposed to be part of this story, but it didn't really fit in so I cut it out and made it a separate story. Enjoy the story!

disclaimer-I do not own anything related to anything in the Harry Potter universe. That all belongs to J.K. Nor do I own the song Just Friends, which is by the Jonas Brothers.

Just Friends

"There you are!" Sirius exclaimed as James walked into the marauders' compartment on the Hogwarts Express. "We thought you decided not to come back for seventh year."

James rose his eyebrows at his best friend. "Padfoot, you and I came to the station together. I told you that I had to go to the head's compartment."

"And I just told you five minutes ago, when I came back from the Prefect's meeting, that Prongs would be back soon." Remus added.

Sirius frowned momentarily, but it was quickly replaced with his usual grin. "Never mind all of that. I have the best idea for a new prank."

"I'm pretty sure we covered the pranking thing, too." Remus told him. "James is Head Boy now, he can't get any more detentions."

"Aww, come on Moony." James pleaded. "It's seventh year. It's our last chance for us to leave a lasting mark on Hogwarts. One little prank isn't going to hurt me."

"What if it hurts Lily's opinion of you?" Remus asked.

James was silent for a moment. Finally, after six years, he had just convinced Lily to give him a chance. So now Lily and James were friends. But if he messed up, even just a little bit, all of his hard work would be for nothing. Maybe it was because they were legally adults now, but James found Lily's friendship much more important than pulling some prank on an unsuspecting student. As he was thinking about all of this this, he gazed through the glass of the compartment door.

Just as he was about to turn back to face Sirius, he saw Lily walking past, laughing with her friends. Right before she was all the way past the compartment, and out of his view, she turned and saw him looking at her. She paused for a moment, and then gave him a small smile before resuming walking back to her compartment.

It was at that moment that James knew he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his friendship with the girl he had chased after for six years; she was too important to him.

"No pranks." James agreed quietly, his gaze transfixed on the place where Lily had just been.

There she goes again

The girl I'm in love with

It's cool we're just friends

Later that night, James and Lily were doing their first patrol together. So far, neither of them had said anything, and James was starting to feel really stupid. For the past six years he had done anything and everything he could to ask Lily out on a date. And now he couldn't even have one little conversation with her. How was that even possible?

"I was kind of surprised when I found out you were the head boy." Lily said suddenly, without looking at James.

"Me too." He replied with a small smile. "I thought Dumbledore had finally lost it."

"Nah, Dumbledore lost it a long time ago," Lily contradicted, returning his smile, "When he sent you an acceptance letter for Hogwarts."

"But wouldn't you just die if I didn't go to school with you?" James said, sticking out his lower lip and giving Lily his best puppy-dog eyes.

Lily had barely glanced at him when he said this, before she burst out laughing.

"You know you look ridiculous like that, right?" She replied.

"You just don't want to admit that you know your life just wouldn't be the same if you had never met me." James retaliated.

"That's very true…" Lily said thoughtfully, with a small nod of her head, "If you and I had never met, I would be much saner."

James snorted. "You're just trying to avoid declaring your undying love for me."

"Yeah…okay." Lily said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

We walk the halls of school

But I know it's casual

It's cool we're just

Late one night in mid-December, James was pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace in the Heads Common room. In fact, he was so absorbed in his pacing he didn't even notice Lily standing there until she spoke to him.

"That doesn't matter." Sirius said offhandedly. "We all know they're meant for each other. Lily will figure it out eventually." He frowned here. "Hopefully it'll be within this century, though."

Everyone knows it's meant to be

Falling in love just you and me

Till the end of time

Till I'm on your mind

It'll happen

Lily, I'm bored…

Does it look like I care?

I don't think it does.

What do you want, Padfoot?

Nothing. Nothing at all. I just thought I should take this opportunity to tell you that you were talking in your sleep again last night.

Not now Padfoot. I'm trying to talk to Lily.

By all means, Sirius, please, continue talking to James so he won't talk to me. I am trying to pay attention to Professor McGonagall.

But Prongsie, you were talking to Lily again, while you were sleeping last night.

…Can't we talk about this after class?

No. I wanna embarrass you now.

What did he say, Sirius?

Oh, but it is. He said, that when you move into your new house, he wants to plant a rose garden.

I was sleep talking.

There have been other times, and they were funnier.

No one cares, Sirius.

Does this mean you hate me now?

No. But I am seriously starting to question my sanity. Why are we friends again?

Because it's in the 'best interests of your positions as the Heads.' And am I your friend too, Lily?

No.

I'm not the one who talks about her in my sleep.

I'm just going to go back to taking my notes now, OK? Good.

Hmph. Fine. Be that way. Just remember, since we're friends now, you'll never be able to get rid of me again, Lily.

I've been making lots of plans

Like a picket fence and rose garden

I'll just keep dreaming

But it's cool cause we're just friends

Small talk on IM

Just one word sentences

It's cool we're just friends

If I had my way we'd talk and talk all day

"Happy Birthday Lily!" James exclaimed, appearing in front of Lily as she sat in front of the fireplace finishing up her homework one January evening, one hand behind his back.

Lily looked up at him with a strange expression on her face.

"But it isn't my birthday today." She told him. "It's tomorrow."

"Oh, don't worry, I know that." James replied. "I just wanted to be the first one to tell you that. And," He drew the hand behind his back in front of him to reveal a box wrapped in shiny paper, "I wanted to be the first one to give you a present."

"You got me a present?" Lily said, looking up at James with an emotion on her face that he couldn't decipher.

"Well, yeah. It's your birthday." He said as if it were obvious. "Aren't I supposed to give you a present?"

Lily just shrugged.

"Here." James placed the box in front of her, on top of her essay for Charms. "Open it."

As Lily slowly removed the paper from the box, and then its lid, James remained standing in front of her.

"It's…empty." She said, looking up at James with confusion, and as she said that her shoulders seemed to sag with disappointment.

James nodded. "I couldn't fit what I wanted to give you in that box."

"So you just decided to give it to me empty?" Lily stated. "OK, I'll pretend like I understand that."

"Aren't you going to ask what I was going to give you that was too big for that box?" James demanded. "It can't be just anything, you know, because I am a wizard and I could have just shrunk it to fit in the box."

Lily rolled her eyes, an amused expression on her face. "Fine. James, what were you going to give me that was too big to fit in this box?"

"Me." James said simply.

Lily just looked at him, not comprehending what he was trying to say.

"I knew I wasn't going to get away with not having to explain that." James said, now sitting down beside Lily on the couch. "At this beginning of this year, we decided to be friends, didn't we?"

An unreadable expression flitted across Lily's face so quickly it was gone before James could be sure it had ever been there.

"And I suppose that's been all fine and dandy-" James stopped here abruptly, a strange expression on her face. "Did I just say that?"

Lily giggled.

"Anyway," James continued, "things have worked out well with us being friends, I suppose, but that really doesn't change the truth about…well, everything." He paused here, as if expecting Lily to say something, but she remained silent. "Lily, no matter what you might think, I really do like you. So, for your birthday, I decided to give you…me." He paused again, looking a bit unsure of himself now. "I totally understand if you don't feel the same way. I mean, that's why I decided to do this the day before your birthday. Because if you really do hate me as much as you've claimed, then I don't want to ruin your birthday for you and-"

"James." Lily said softly, looking a bit amused. "Stop talking right now. You've got to let me answer before you get too carried away with yourself."

Lily paused to take a deep breath, and James looked at her expectantly.

"You know," Lily said, "I think this year is going to be my best birthday ever, and it hasn't even happened yet."

A grin lit up James' face. "Does that mean you…and me…."

Lily grinned back. "What do you think?"

Instead of answering her, James captured Lily's lips with his. It only took a split second for Lily to respond, wrapping her arms around his neck and, well…let's just say Lily didn't exactly remember to finish her Charms essay that night…

Everyone knows it meant to be

Falling in love just you and me

Till the end of time

Till I'm on your mind

It'll happen

"So…" James began, but trailed off immediately, not knowing what to say.

Lily just nodded absentmindedly, also unable to think of some way to start a conversation.

"So," James said again, "We're graduating tomorrow."

Again, Lily just nodded.

"And then we'll leave Hogwarts," James continued, "Forever."

"I'll miss this place." Lily said softly, gazing out at the lake.

She and James were sitting underneath the beech tree at the edge of the lake, James with his back to the tree and Lily leaning against his chest, enjoying the last bits of afternoon sun. But neither of them was enjoying it much.

As James had already pointed out, they would be graduating tomorrow, and after that they would leave Hogwarts for the last time. After that, they would go their separate ways, and neither Lily nor James wanted to voice the fears they were both trying to hide: that they wouldn't see each other after they left Hogwarts; that they might not have time for each other in their new lives as adults.

"I was thinking," James began.

"Yes?" Lily prompted almost immediately, straightening up a bit.

"Never mind." James said with a sigh.

Lily's shoulders seemed to sag. And with that small action, what felt like a jolt of electricity raced through James' body, sparking a memory-one of the first time he had asked her out and she had said yes.

"Can you forget I said that?" James asked Lily quickly.

"Which part?"

"The part where I said 'never mind.'" James replied. He gave Lily his best puppy-dog eyes, reminding her a bit of Sirius as he did so. "Please?"

A small giggle escaped from Lily's lips.

"Sure."

"Great." James said. He sat up straighter. "So, I was thinking…"

"Yes?" Lily echoed her earlier response.

"After tomorrow, we won't be at school together every day." James stated. "We won't be able to spend as much time together."

Lily nodded.

"What if it didn't have to be like that?" James said slowly. "What if we were still together all the time?"

"James, we can't." Lily replied. "I'm going to start Healer training soon, and you want to be an Auror. Our schedules will clash enough as it is. How are we going to be together all the time?"

Without a word, James separated himself from Lily and re-positioned himself so that he was in front of her, balanced on one knee.

"Lily," James began, his face completely serious, "I love you. I've loved you since the first time I ever saw you," He frowned slightly here, "Although I'm sure you didn't feel quite the same way."

Another giggle escaped Lily's lips, and James' expression brightened.

"In fact, you didn't feel the same way for a while. But when you finally said yes, a few months ago, you made me one of the happiest people alive. Lily," He said again, "I really do want us to be together forever. So, I…I…" He faltered here, for the first time in his little speech. James enveloped her hands in his, and this seemed to give him a new confidence. "Lily…will you marry me?"

Lily was silent and James caught a brief glance of a glistening tear running down her cheek, before she withdrew her hands from his, causing a very short-lived moment of panic on his part before she threw her arms around his neck.

"Of course I will." She said, speaking into his neck as she buried her face there.

With this pronouncement, James stood, keeping a tight hold on Lily, and spun her around. After a few spins, he set her back down and their lips connected. After a moment they broke apart, and James rested his forehead against Lily's.

"I love you, Lily." He said softly.

"I love you, too, James."

Thinking about how

We're going to say our vows

It's cool we're just friends

James didn't know how long he had been waiting for this day. All he knew was that it had been for a very long time, and that he was very, very happy it was finally here.

Today was the day he was going to marry Lily.

Today, in the very room he was standing in, he and Lily would be joined together forever. He was so nervous.

"Hey," Sirius said suddenly, but softly, from his place beside James, "Where's Moony? I see Wormtail over there," He nodded toward where Peter was sitting in the crowd of people before them, "But I can't find Moony anywhere. It's not…" He glanced around to make sure there was no one near them, "His furry little problem, is it?"

"The full moon was last week." James whispered back, glad for the temporary distraction from the butterflies in his stomach. "Remus offered to give Lily away, because you know…"

"Oh." Was all Sirius said, remembering very well the deaths of Lily's parents. "What about her sister? Is she coming?"

"Wonderful." Sirius said, but the rest of his sentence was drowned out as the organ music began to play.

After that, time seemed to speed up for James. He heard the music start, and the next second, or so it seemed, Lily and Remus were walking towards him. Then the minister was talking. And then he was putting a ring on Lily's finger. And then he was kissing her. And the next thing he knew he was walking back down the aisle, his arm linked with Lily's.

As he walked past the rows of people now standing all of their smiling faces blurred together.

We're finally married.

Was the thought continuously running through his head.

And now Lily and I will be together forever.

She walks down the aisle

I see all my friends smile

Cause now we're more than friends

"I like it." Lily announced, leaning against her husband as they stood in front of the cottage in Godric's Hollow.

"I suppose it's okay." James said slowly.

Lily broke away from him and turned around with a glare on her face. "And what, exactly, is wrong with this house?"

"Well," James began uneasily, squirming under his wife's dangerous gaze, "Nothing much, I suppose."

"James," Lily began with a sigh, "We've looked at what feels like at least fifty houses already. You've had a problem with each of them. What on earth is wrong with this one?"

"Well nothing really. It's just…" He trailed off. "Do you remember that time in seventh year when you, Sirius, and I were passing notes to each other during Transfiguration?"

"Not specifically." Lily replied slowly, unsure as to what, exactly this had to do with why he didn't like the house they were standing in front of. "That happened quite a bit."

"The time when Sirius tried to embarrass me in front of you, but it didn't really work because what he told you wasn't really embarrassing." James clarified.

"Again, there's more than one time." Lily told him.

James sighed dramatically. "The time when Sirius told you I was sleep-talking—"

"About rose gardens." Lily finished for him. "And us living together." She frowned. "Are you trying to tell me that I was wrong about us ever living together, by saying you hate all of the houses we're thinking about buying?"

"No…" James said slowly. "I'm trying to tell you what I find wrong with this house."

Lily was silent for a moment, then her eyes went wide. Her head jerked around so that she was looking at the cottage now behind her, and then back towards her husband again. There was an expression of incredulity on her face.

"Are you telling me that the only reason you won't even consider buying this place," She jerked her head in the direction of the cottage, "Is because it doesn't have a rose garden?"

"…Maybe?" James said softly.

Lily bit her lip to keep from laughing. "James, we could always plant one…" Her face looked really strained now, as if she was doing everything she could to not laugh. "…if you really want a rose garden."

"Really?" James said happily.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, really."

James grinned. "I knew there was a good reason why I married you, Lily—besides the obvious, of course."

Lily just rolled her eyes again in response and James wrapped his arms around her.

"We're going to be very happy here, Lily." He whispered softly in her ear. "I can tell."

Everyone knows it's meant to be

Falling in love just you and me

Till the end of time

Till I'm on her mind

It'll happen

We've been making lots of plans

Like a picket fence and rose garden

I'll just keep dreaming

"Isn't he beautiful?" Lily asked no one in particular as she stared at the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms.

"Of course he is. He has your eyes." James replied. "Although, since he does have my hair, I think you should say that he's handsome. My son will never be called beautiful. He's not a girl."

Lily just rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She looked back down at the sleeping baby. "When you grow up, I hope you're just as handsome as Daddy." She paused and the baby yawned sleepily. "But that had better be the only thing you get from him."

James sighed dramatically and put his hand over his heart. "You wound me, Lilyflower. I wasn't that bad when we were in school."

Lily rose an eyebrow. "I think all those late hours at the office are starting to take their toll on you. I really don't want to have to start listing all of your various offences. Besides," She glared at James and clutched her baby closer to her, "I don't want to poison poor Harry's ears, talking about pranking people and all of that other stuff."

An amused expression appeared on James' face.

"Harry's only a baby. If I did start talking about that stuff, he wouldn't remember." James paused. "Besides, I turned out well in the end, didn't I?"

"Yes," Lily agreed, "At the very end."

Just keep on thinking of when we used to be

Just Friends

Oh when we used to be

Just Friends

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